www.ultimatehandyman.co.uk

Absolutely seething last night.

After last years trouble, I decided to cut my losses and get rid of the car.
Looked at another motor suitable, found a few very minor faults like boot switch, lighter socket, which they said they would sort, along with a service and new MOT

Agreed to pay the screen price as they were going to sort out the few problems.

Mrs picked it up Friday....2 busses and a train, and half a day later... accompanied by a 2 year old and a car seat...

I look over it, boot switch not fixed, lighter socket not working, a service, which didn't include changing the air or fuel filter
Okay, bit annoyed, but its simple stuff. Fixed the boot switch, just a wire off. air/fuel filter, £20 and 10 mins....
Silicone grease everywhere Shinnnney.
Handbrake right at the top of its travel, yet a nice new MOT

Fobbed the Mrs off saying the brake test is all done by computer.... told her that model doesn't have a switch for the boot, you have to use the pull by the seat.

She gets home from work yesterday, tells me it struggled to start from cold.
Tries it myself this morning, it barely turns over.

If theres one thing I hate its people that talk rubbish, and lie.

I think I might drop back in with it for them Tomorrow. With an empty envelope to fill back up with my cash.

That garage doesn`t sound up to much.Otherwise was it a good deal?
Brakes:Is it rear drums?

You said you paid screen price so I assume you bought it on ebay. Did you let the wife pick it up by herself without checking it? You're a braver man than me if you did. A while back I bought a vehicle on ebay and went to pay the guy the cash. I took a car dealer friend along with me of course. If I was by myself I would probably not have noticed the faults and have paid the guy the money and that would have been it.

Anyway, we left my car with the seller and he let us take it for a test drive. My mate did his checks, spotted oil near oil filler cap, looked under the engine and spotted that it was losing oil drastically. Returned to the owner and said he forgot to mention this fact on ebay and that we will not be taking it. The seller turns to me and said that, wait for it, because I had won the auction I was obliged to buy it. That didn't get him very far I can tell you.

I didn't buy it but my mate made him an offer that factored in the work, took £700 quid of I think, and did a deal with him - but he's used to that sort of thing.

I would never take anybody's word when buying a car and always take someone in the know. If you buy from a private seller he is under no obligation to refund your money if it's faulty - you'd be relying on his goodwill.

Anyway, sounds like, apart from the faults you repaired, the battery is flat - not surprising in this cold and given the car may not have been driven regularly. I would recommend my friend for anything to do with motor vehicles but I don't know if I would be allowed on the forum. Regards.

senorplumb wrote:You said you paid screen price so I assume you bought it on ebay.

I figured it was the price written on the windscreen of the car, which means it could be almost anywhere, mind you, could be worse.....

You are right. The screen price is forcourt price on the windscreen. Never did bother with them!

That changes matters for the OP as trade seller has a different level of duty to buyer than a private seller.

On another note, that red half price motor you're selling looks like a real bargain! I'll take two.

senorplumb wrote:...........On another note, that red half price motor you're selling looks like a real bargain! I'll take two.

sorry, last one.

I bought a car from a garage about 12 yrs ago. Had it about 3 weeks when there's a knock at the door one tea time. 2 chaps from a collection service for a credit company. Turns out there was outstanding credit on it and they'd come to re-possess the vehicle. I showed them the paperwork, including the receipt from the garage. They took the vehicle with them and said they'd pay a visit to the garage. An hour later they returned and said they'd been to the garage and had been threatened by the owner and some of the workers there. They'd then phoned their boss who said he'd allow me to keep the vehicle (as I'd bought it in good faith) and the credit company would be in touch.
Next day the garage owner came to the house whilst I was out at work and gave the missus the money I'd paid for the car.(£1000)
A few weeks later I got a letter from the credit company saying if I paid them £100 I could keep the car.
So I got a car and £900 in to the bargain.

Bloody good deal there John.

I have awful memories of motoring on a budget. My usual price for a car was £300 ish and they were always rot boxes. I picked up a Datsun Cherry from a back-street garage. It looked OK apart from the rot at the base of the doors - but that was normal in those days. Very few older cars were rot-free. I think I got a 7 day warranty. On the 5 mile trip home three 'faults' surfaced. First was the clutch slipping like mad. Then the cylinder head gasket went and I was belching steam from the rear end. I returned to the garage straight away but before I got there the exhaust fell off and was jammed under the car. The bloke said, ''f.....hell, this is gonna cost me a fortune to fix''. So he asked me to retrospectively take out an extended warranty covered by an insurance company. It wouldn't cost me anything and he would claim for the repairs. There was a happy ending though - he loaned me a 2 litre Capri Sport while the car was being repaired . Shame I had to give it back.

First car I bought was a Vauxhall viva,got it home lifted the bonnet and it came off in my hand.

First car i purchased had a 30/30 guarantee.


Found out later it meant 30 seconds or 30 yards.







Every morning i wake up Grumpy,she then gets up and makes me a nice cup of tea.

I've bought some right dogs of cars.....
Best being a peugeot 205, only failing was a leaky tailgate, went like crap off a chromium shovel (1.4 engine and made of tin ) and cost me near zero to run.
Then the corolla I just punted (with its wonky central locking and tailgate rams that randomly dropped the tailgate on your head), handled like a dream though (new shocks and low profile tyres improved things a lot) and extremely comfy to drive.
next probably the 2004 Vectra I just bought (wait and see what the MOT says though.... , currently needs a tyre and brake pads and a bulb holder replaced as some idiot melted it (I have the bulb holder, just need the snow to stop so I can fit the stupid thing) )
Then the Mazda 626 I had in NZ (boot at times didn't want to open, drivers window constantly came off the runners and leaked oil like a demon) however it was cheap and I made....at least half what I spent on it back when I sold it.
and the worst......£475 2000 model Ford Escort......failed the MOT <4 months later as the sills had essentially melted and it had 2 racing slick like front tyres along with a leaking brake system. it also refused to go above 3K rpm....seemingly a common issue and near impossible to find the cause of.......horrible horrible car that I wasn't overly sad to see the back of.

My dad when he was younger had an Austin Princess (vinyl roof none the less), a mini that would go places but not come back, a Triumph Herald, an FSO polonez, an Opel Manta GTE (with tri colour stripes across the drivers door) and likely many more....dubious cars

My mums dad once bought a new Polski fiat......the epitomy of a lemon....also at one point had a yugo...

Buying a second hand motor does not mean it should have faults, apparently you have the same rights as a new car, google your rights, print out....take to dealer....discuss compensation / courtesy car....then you can be assured of good service....also no harm in mentioning trading standards and an mot retest at your chosen garage etc...... Lay it. On mate.

By law all traders must provide a three month warranty. They should fix the items free of charge.

DWD

scot-canuck wrote:

My dad when he was younger had an Austin Princess (vinyl roof none the less), a mini that would go places but not come back, a Triumph Herald, an FSO polonez, an Opel Manta GTE (with tri colour stripes across the drivers door) and likely many more....dubious cars

My mums dad once bought a new Polski fiat......the epitomy of a lemon....also at one point had a yugo...

Some real dogs in there.

I can remember when I was a nipper there was a guy lived at the end of my road and in the rear window of his car was a home made sticker, it said:- " This is a Wartburg - it's been no bloody good ever since I bought it"

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: ... 1_2006.jpg

Took it back Monday Morning.... cant trust them to do the work before i bought it, i sure can't trust them to sort out a problem with it.

Got me a full refund.